Campers gaining popularity due to "hip" image: ABN Amro

The demand for camper vans has risen sharply in the last few years amongst young adults and older adults. It is the exact opposite for caravans, where the market has dropped. ABN Amro reported this after conducting research into the matter. According to the bank, camper vans have a “hip image” with young people due to trends like ‘van life, off-the-grid, and the digital nomads,’ which are cases of influencers showing their adventures with camper vans on social media.

ABN Amro said that according to numbers provided by the RDW, the number of camper vans in the Netherlands rose by 170 percent between 2010 and 2023, while the number of caravans dropped 11 percent. There were almost 200,000 camper vans in the Netherlands last year, which is around 109 per 10,000 residents, which puts the Netherlands far above the European average.

Elderly people are also increasingly choosing a camper van due to the greater ease with which it is used compared to a caravan, for example, while driving and parking at a camping site. In addition, older people have more financial room to buy a camper instead of a caravan, and the number of older people is also increasing.

The strongest growth in camper van ownership comes from the import of second-hand camper vans from abroad. The supply is large, and the prices are relatively low there. The sales of new camper vans in the Netherlands are relatively limited due to the high purchase tax compared to other countries. Order vans have also been converted into campers.

ABN Amro also referred to the rise in electric cars in the study. For example, the first generation of electric vehicles does not have enough pulling power for larger caravans, and the range of electric vehicles with sufficient pulling power is still relatively limited. If we then look at the total costs, the camper is a more attractive alternative than a caravan.

“The explosive growth in camper ownership in the Netherlands shows that the camper has positioned itself as a multi-faceted camping tool for older and younger people. Thanks to an improved image, easy use, and the rise of the electric car, the camper van becomes increasingly attractive,” ABN Amro concluded.